The first FA Cup final at the new Wembley turned out to be a damp squib. But, Gazette sports editor Philip Tallentire, who was at the game, found something to savour about Chelsea's’ 1-0 win.

IT was a delicious irony that Sir Alex Ferguson was left bemoaning a dodgy penalty decision after watching his side blow a fourth domestic double on Saturday.

The first FA Cup final at the new Wembley offered little to thrill the watching millions, though many will have welcomed the karmic retribution meted out to Manchester United and their charmless manager.

Make no mistake, the Premiership champions blew a glorious opportunity on Saturday. Chelsea played so deep, the Blues back four could be forgiven for suffering claustrophobia as their midfield team-mates retreated further and further back into their own half.

Fortunately for Jose Mourinho, United were unable to take advantage and Didier Drogba’s late winner will have initiated more than a few chuckles on Teesside.

Boro suffered at least two outrageous travesties of justice at the hands of Manchester United this season – the penalty Ronaldo “won” when he dived in front of Mark Schwarzer at the Riverside in December and the spot-kick Dong-Gook Lee should have been awarded at Old Trafford last month when he was cleaned out by John O’Shea.

Sir Alex, of course, didn’t actually make either of those contentious decisions, but he very publicly condoned Ronaldo at the Riverside when the Portuguese winger was subbed late in the game.

He marched to the touchline to ostentatiously embrace his player in an act that was dangerously provocative on an away ground.

But what goes around comes around and when Steve Bennett failed to award United an injury time penalty when Ryan Giggs’ appeared to be fouled by Michael Essien, neutrals across the nation will have enjoyed the Reds’ agony. It was debatable whether it was a spot-kick, but it’s typically graceless of Fergie to bemoan a dubious spot-kick claim when his own tactical shortcomings cost his side the cup. A classier individual would have simply congratulated the winners’ fortitude.

There was little to chose between the teams, but had United played a 4-4-2 formation, with a second striker alongside Wayne Rooney instead of an appallingly out-of-position Giggs, then the makeshift Chelsea defence – that admittedly cost a Kings Road ransom - would surely have been breached inside 90 minutes.

Essien in particular looked fallible, but the chances that did come largely fell to Giggs, who was incapable of capitalising.

Chelsea were happy to give United two-thirds of the pitch to play in because they realised their opponents had been issued a tactical strait-jacket.

Ronaldo, so effective this season as a creative force, barely got a kick, while Paul Scholes, another player praised to the heavens by the TV “experts” and Fleet Street columnists, was lucky not be sent off for yet another display of gratuitous fouling which soured his occasionally breathtaking contributions.

Make no mistake, United deserve their Premiership title and Ferguson should be congratulated for relentlessly turning out teams that seek to entertain season after season. But his sides will never truly be loved as long as he continues to win, and lose, with such bad grace.